In collaboration with Liberation Park, Insight Chicago will host a series of half-day workshops exploring the core teachings of Buddhism. Santikaro will will lead these explorations. These will be every other month, beginning January 16th. These sessions will run 9 am thru 1 pm. For more information on Santikaro see http://insightchicago.org/practice/teachers/ and http://liberationpark.org

The purpose of this series is to provide a working foundation in the central teachings of Buddhism in order to guide the practice of mindfulness and cultivation of the middle way. The workshop format will include a silent sitting, short talks, exercises, and small group work. If there is sufficient interest, we may add silent practice periods in the afternoons of the Saturday sessions (with options for practice interviews with Santikaro).

There will be a small fee of about $10.00 for each session to cover space rental. Dana (donations) to Liberation Park are encouraged in gratitude for the teachings.

 Themes to be explored & scheduled dates:
January 16:  The Ennobling Truths & Middle Way

March 20:  Karma & Dharma

May 1:     The Foundations of Mindfulness

July 17:   Living in the World: Practical Ethics

September  11:  The Clear, Calm Mind & its Hindrances 

November 13:  Dependent Co-Arising: the Heart of Awakening

As we will focus on the earliest strata of the teachings as found in the Pali canon, this series is suitable for everyone interested in the teachings that underlie all the schools that eventually developed. Another study series will take place on the Sunday afternoons immediately following this series. They will be hosted in Oak Park and will explore some of the more profound teachings of Buddhism, beginning with Emptiness, and will involve a fair amount of reading.